Document Detail


The importance of measuring intraocular pressure using a tonometer in order to estimate the postmortem interval.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20386301     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
AIM: The purpose of this study is to evaluate postmortem eye changes and to investigate the relationship between these changes and time elapsed after death.
MATERIAL AND METHOD: The eyes of 100 noncriminal cases who had died while being treated at Eskisehir Osmangazi University (ESOGU) hospital were evaluated for corneal turbidity and tache noire macroscopically, and also repeatedly evaluated by ophthalmoscope, pupilometer, and tonometer at intervals until removal from hospital. The postmortem time, corneal turbidity, development of tache noire, pupil size, intraocular pressure (IOP), and fundus findings were recorded. The relationship between these findings and the postmortem interval (PMI) was evaluated.
RESULTS: No relationship between tache noire development and postmortem time (P > 0.05) was found. The corneal turbidity ratio increased significantly at 8 hours after decease (P < 0.01). No relationship between right-left pupil size and postmortem time (P > 0.05) was found. There was, however, a significant relationship between the fundus findings and postmortem time. Over time, the first optic disc becomes pale, then vascular clarity decreases and segmentation increases. The right and left IOP related significantly to postmortem time and decreased gradually as time passed (P < 0.05). Application of linear, exponential, and power equations showed that IOP can be used to estimate postmortem time by a 2 hour interval with a 95% probability.
CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that corneal turbidity and IOP have a significant relationship with postmortem time and can be used to estimate a postmortem interval with other postmortem findings. This study provides data that would support the idea that such examination might be useful in estimating postmortem interval.
Authors:
Yasemin Balci; Hikmet Basmak; B Kenan Kocaturk; Afsun Sahin; Kazim Ozdamar
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The American journal of forensic medicine and pathology     Volume:  31     ISSN:  1533-404X     ISO Abbreviation:  Am J Forensic Med Pathol     Publication Date:  2010 Jun 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-05-26     Completed Date:  2010-09-14     Revised Date:  2011-02-02    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8108948     Medline TA:  Am J Forensic Med Pathol     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  151-5     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey. ybalci@ogu.edu.tr
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Child
Child, Preschool
Cornea / pathology
Female
Forensic Pathology
Fundus Oculi
Humans
Infant
Intraocular Pressure*
Male
Middle Aged
Ophthalmoscopy
Optic Disk / pathology
Postmortem Changes*
Pupil
Time Factors
Tonometry, Ocular*
Young Adult

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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